Off The Rack #38

Another successful Capital Trade Show with my partner Chris yesterday at the Jim Durrell Recreation Centre. Saw a few more folks that I haven’t seen for a while stop by our table. The next one is on April 2 and we hope to be there.

Congratulations to Brent for 32 years of comic book goodness at The Comicshop in Vancouver. He and Keith continue the proud traditions that Ron Norton established and I wish them many more years to come.

America #1 – Gabby Rivera (writer) Joe Quinones (pencils) Joe Rivera & Paolo Rivera (inks) Jose Villarrubia (colours) Travis Lanham (letters). Marvel is really loading the racks with female heroes these days and the latest to join the ranks with her own solo book is the leader of the Ultimates. I don’t read that book so excuse my ignorance about this woman. The last time I saw her was when she was a Young Avengers team member. Gabby starts this off by having America go to college which was very similar to the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1. We do get a peek at her civilian life as America breaks up with her girlfriend before leaving for college. I thought she was a jerk about it and that started me into not liking her much. Then she meets up with an old Young Avengers teammate and a time travel element is added. That’s when I said “hasta la vista, baby”. I’m not hip enough to enjoy this book but I think the cool kids will like it.

Savage Things #1 – Justin Jordan (writer) Ibrahim Moustafa (art) Jordan Boyd (colours) Josh Reed (letters). This is more up my ally. A dangerous dark ally where you could be attacked by a government sanctioned homicidal maniac. The flashbacks show us Cain and Abel being recruited as boys and the present shows them exposing the bad guys they used to work for. Both were part of a covert team of killers that did the government’s bidding. I want to see what they’re up to now.

Rat Queens #1 – Kurtis J. Wiebe (writer) Owen Gieni (art) Ryan Ferrier (letters). Yay, the Queens are back on the racks. What happened to Violet’s beard? Doesn’t matter because that great camaraderie that the Queens have is the same as I remember and that’s why I like these gals so much. This new adventure has them fighting a giant Canada Goose with amazing powers. Whoa and zut alors, I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Totally Awesome Hulk #1.MU – This Monsters Unleashed! Tie-in has three short stories and the main reason that I grabbed it off the rack to read is because of the first one called “Flawless Victory” is by Bryan Edward Hill (writer) Ty Templeton (art) Mat Lopes (colours) VC’s Cory Petit (letters). Ty and I go way back and I always enjoy his work. If you’re a comic book geek like me you should check out his blog athttps://tytempletonart.wordpress.com/bun-toons/. He posts almost every week and his stories are a lot of fun, just what comics books should be. The second story “Mind Over Monster” by Bryan Edward Hill (writer) Ricardo Lopez Ortiz (art) Rico Renzi (colours) VC’s Cory Petit (letters) has Hulk saving South Korea from Xemnu, he of the spiral eyes. The last story “Math is Magic” by Leah Williams (writer) Jahnoy Lindsay (art) Esther Sanz (colours) VC’s Cory Petit (letters) features Maddy Cho trying to find help with fighting the Leviathons that are landing on Earth and destroying everything. Maddy contacts Lady Hellbender the Monster Queen but what the monster collector tells her does not bode well for Earth. I liked how Jahnoy tried to mimic Frank Cho’s style when drawing Lady Hellbender.

Riverdale One Shot – This features four of the Riverdale teens and boy are they different from the old Archie gang. If you haven’t watched the TV show on the CW network this might get you to tune in. “Archie” by Brian E. Paterson (writer) Elliot Fernandez (art) Thomas Chu (colours) John Workman (letters) will shock you with the affair with Ms. Grundy that you may have heard about. “Betty” by Britta Lundin (writer) Jim Towe (art) Glenn Whitmore (colours) Janice Chiang (letters) has my guilty crush Ms. Cooper going to L.A. for a summer internship. “Veronica” by James DeWille (writer) Thomas Pitilli (art) Andre Szymanowicz (colours) John Workman (letters) surprised me again because she and her family are Hispanic. “Jughead” by Will Ewing (writer) Alitha Martinez (pencils) Bob Smith (inks) Andre Szymanowicz with Thomas Chu (colours) Janice Chiang (letters) changed my attitude towards Archie’s best friend. I won’t watch the show because I don’t like who they cast as Betty. They had a chance to usurp Winnie Cooper from The Wonder Years as my biggest TV Cooper crush but they failed. I would definitely read another comic book about these guys though.

Royal City #1 – Jeff Lemire (writer & artist) Steve Wands (letters). I really like Jeff’s stories. Trillium amazed me with some of the ways Jeff used his art to tell that story. Essex County made me feel very Canadian. Old Man Logan made me care about Wolverine again. Here we have a story about a family with one missing sibling and it’s hard to categorize. At first I thought it was a ghost story but it’s much more than that. The Pike family seems typical but their brother Tommy makes them unique. This gets added to my “must read” list.

Doctor Strange #18 – Jason Aaron (writer) Chris Bachalo (pencils & colours) Al Vey, Tim Townsend, John Livesay & Victor Olazaba (inks) VC’s Cory Petit (letters). The answer to “where’s Wong?” is revealed. This is a team-up with the Mighty Thor and because Jason writes both books he gave Thor another new cool super power to help save lives and made it look natural. It’s very far fetched but it’s neat that he thought it up. Now the task of saving Wong from the villain Mr Misery starts in earnest.

Superman #18 – Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason (writers) Patrick Gleason (pencils) Mick Gray (inks) John Kalisz (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). Part 1 of “Superman Reborn” gets deeper into two mysteries that have been teasing us since Rebirth started. The other Clark Kent and the hooded guy with the scythe. I really like the new Superman family with Lois and Jon and I hope DC doesn’t go back to the single Superman. If they do, I want a new book like Marvel did with Peter, Mary Jane and Annie. I hated when Marvel unmarried Peter and Mary Jane.

Clone Conspiracy: Omega #1 – there are three complete stories in this finale to the most recent clone kerfuffle. “Collateral Damage” by Dan Slott & Christos Gage (writers) Cory T. Smith (art) Justin Ponsor (colours) VC’s Joe Caramagna (letters) sets Ben Reilly the Scarlet Spider up with his new solo book out April 26 where he chases after himself. Huh? You have to read “Give Us a Wink” by Peter David (writer) Mark Bagley (pencils) John Dell (inks) Jason Keith (colours) VC’s Joe Caramagna (letters) to find out what I mean. And finally “King’s Favor” by Dan Slott (writer) Stuart Immonen (pencils) Wade von Grawbadger (inks) Richard Isanove (colours) VC’s Joe Caramagna (letters) sets up the return of Spider-Man’s greatest enemy. How are they going to explain that comeback?

Batman #18 – Tom King (writer) David Finch (pencils) Danny Miki (inks) Jordie Bellaire (colours) John Workman (letters). It’s good issues like this one that reward me for sticking to a book the I like through some weaker issues. The fight between Batman and Bane juxtaposed with the evolution of each man as they grew older intensified the growing anger of the villain with each page. I can’t wait to see the next phase of Batman’s plan.

Hawkeye #4 – Kelly Thompson (writer) Leonardo Romero (art) Jordie Bellaire (colours) VC’s Joe Sabino (letters). I was thinking about benching this book once this first story arc ended but Kelly snuck in a special guest star right at the end there that made me want to stick around for the next arc. I wasn’t really happy with how Kate defeats the super villain but what happens to the guy later made up for the feel good solution.

Champions #6 – Mark Waid (writer) Humberto Ramos (pencils) Victor Olazaba (inks) Edgar Delgado with Nolan Woodward (colours) VC’s Clayton Cowles (letters). I thought the Freelancers weren’t going to be that bad after teaming up with the Champions last issue but Mark establishes that they are a bunch of douche bags this issue. Wait until you see what these bullies have lined up for the good guys.

Unstoppable Wasp #3 – Jeremy Whitley (writer) Elsa Charretier (art) Megan Wilson (colours) VC’s Joe Caramagna (letters). I really like Nadia’s personality and Jarvis is a hoot. I need fun comic books like this to balance all the doom and gloom that’s out there on the racks.

Monsters Unleashed #4 – Cullen Bunn (writer) Salvador Larroca (art) David Curiel (colours) VC’s Travis Lanham (letters). Even more super heroes fighting giant space monsters. I know this might be boring for some fans but the kids love it and I loved the art.